A study just published in the journal Nature Climate Change suggests that fossil fuel subsidies in some developing nations stand most in the way of clean energy. For a livable climate, developing nations must bypass the fossil age as they grow their 21st century economies.

image via Assessing the costs of photovoltaic and wind power in six developing countries

As we reported earlier, the researchers found that wind is currently cheaper than solar PV (though by 2017 solar PV will have reduced the most by percentage). This is why it has been more cost effective to build wind power in Honduras, and to develop the world-class wind in the Suez region of Egypt.

Wind power is further along (and thus cheaper) in the developed world too. But they considered another factor too.

In their study of the six developing nations, lead authors Tobias Schmidt, Robin Born and Malte Schneider found that it is the wide variation in high levels of fossil fuel subsidies that most prevent the development of clean energy.

For example, as the above chart from their paper shows, since Nicaragua has the highest fossil energy cost of the six, clean energy investment is better able to compete with fossil energy there from a cost-effective investment point of view.

Susan Kraemer enjoys writing to publicize the many great solutions for climate change that we can find if we just put our minds to it. She covers renewable policy and clean energy for CleanTechnica and GreenProphet and green building at HomeDesignFind. She recently moved home to Waiheke Island where her writing is now powered by the 80% renewable electricity that powers New Zealand.